Below is the presentation to the Town Board by CCRA from July 19, 2016

 

Dear Supervisor Linda Puglisi and the Cortlandt Town Board:
 
All of us at Cortlandt Community Rowing Association thank you for the tremendous support you have given CCRA, including the use of Lake Meahagh in Verplanck and the Cortlandt riverfront.
 
Thank you for seeing our vision to form a community-based rowing club in Cortlandt and helping to make it a reality. Without the support of Supervisor Linda Puglisi, Town Board Member Frank Farrell and the Cortlandt Town Board, CCRA wouldn’t be standing here tonight.
 
A little over 3 years ago CCRA held a Learn to Row down by the river to introduce the sport of rowing to the town and gauge interest. The event had a very good turnout and volunteers joined to work on the basic foundation of the club.  Soon to follow on May 10th,, 2013 we hosted an Opening Day at Lake Meahagh, our 1st home regatta (Race). 6 teams came, 187 rowers, of those 187 rowers we had 8 youth rowers. We also had our cheering squad, our 5 master rowers. This was the beginning of CCRA and we couldn’t have accomplished it without your support. Thank You.
 
The following year CCRA became a member of the Hudson Valley Rowing League. We had 12 youth rowers and 10 master rowers. We traveled from Poughkeepsie to Philadelphia, racing in scholastic rowing and official US Rowing races. We rowed hard and had a great time.
 
Which leads me to this year, and oh, what a great year! We currently have 27 youth rowers, 25 master rowers, 12 indoor Row to Music rowers, and last but not least our 9 Little Vikings (ages 8-11). The club continues to see tremendous growth.
 
Our youth rowers not only have accomplished a lot on the water but also have set a path for accomplishments ahead. One youth rower, Isabelle Anzani will be rowing with Skidmore College this September. Avery Tompkins was a youth rower and is now coaching our youth rowers. Another youth rower, Olivia Shaw, will be a coxswain for The University of Chicago this September. We are very proud to say that because of this club they have found paths to enrich their futures.
 
With the support system we have from Linda Puglisi, Frank Farrell, the Cortlandt Town Board, the rowers and their families, this club will prosper. And maybe in the future we might hear of someone trying out for the summer Olympics who rowed with CCRA on our beautiful Lake Meahagh.
 
On behalf of all of us at CCRA, thank you,
 
Dina Tompkins
President, CCRA Families